Christian Fantasy Author

Tag: Chris the Story Reading Ape

Fellow fantasy writers, you won’t want to miss this fabulous article on sword fighting from the perspective of someone who actually does it.

A love of Swords

I’ve always loved stories featuring heroes wielding swords. That love eventually resulted in my finding and joining a dojo that teaches a school of kenjutsu dating back to the warring states period in Japan.

My years of practice have given me an insight into sword fighting that I think is fairly uncommon in this day and age. My experience is limited to the katana, but I feel like much of it could apply to other swords and other fighting styles as well.

Using a sword

Firstly, swords are generally expensive weapons and they are not indestructible. Trying to cut through someone’s sword is unrealistic, but hitting it broadside and shattering the blade is not.

Throwing a sword would be a last resort only for the most desperate of situations, because not only would you lose your weapon the blade may well shatter or bend upon impact.

The blade is not the only part of a sword that can be used to attack. The hilt can be used for offense; to hit the enemy in the face, solar plexus, or groin. It can also be used to defend against an attack that is coming too quickly to get the blade in front of.

For added realism, it’s important to remember that most swords, if not secured in the sheath, can slide out when the wearer leans forward.

Keeping one hand on the hilt and sheath to secure the blade is oftentimes necessary. It is not unheard of for someone to lean forward, have their sword begin to slide out, and then grasp the blade to stop it. This is not a good idea and will usually result in stitches…

As a writer, I know words are important. I also know that language evolves and words change. Still — shouldn’t a berry be a berry? No matter the year, the century, the country or the language, shouldn’t a person be confident knowing that something labled ‘berry’ is actually what the label says?

Nope! Doesn’t happen!

Avacados are technically berries. When I read that, I couldn’t believe it. I looked it up. Then I looked up the definition of a berry. And that’s when I learned that everything I thought I knew about berries was wrong.

According to the scientific definition, a berry is a single, round fleshy fruit with a seed or seeds that’s produced from a single ovary.

So — grapes are berries. So are tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants and bananas.

What are NOT berries? Strawberries. Raspberries. Blackberries. Mulberries. In spite of their names, none of them are technically berries.

Congratulations! You’ve published your first novel (or maybe your second or your third) and now you’re ready to market it.

This can be a daunting moment. I think all of us secretly hope that our novel will be miraculously discovered and recognised as the masterpiece it truly is … but we know that isn’t going to happen without some sort of marketing.

The good news – especially if the very idea of marketing makes you shudder – is that there’s no single “right” way to let the world know about your book. There are lots of different techniques you might try, depending on the type of book you’ve written, and the type of author you are.

I’m focusing on self-published novelists in this post. Many of these suggestions will work just fine for traditionally published authors too, but as a self-publisher, you have full control over things like the price of your book – and carte blanche to market in any way you see fit.

I’ve also kept this list short: seven ideas rather than the 50+ you might find on some sites. I’ve come across some huge lists of marketing ideas for novelists … but often I end up feeling that most of the ideas aren’t necessarily all that workable or impactful.

While there are an almost unlimited number of things you could do to promote your novel, in this post, I’m going to focus on seven very common ones:

Check out this fun writer’s version of the Twelve Days of Christmas by Tara Sparling!

When it comes to Christmas, writers and writing are inextricably linked. The rites and rituals of the season are handed down from year to year through books, TV, movies, and song. But where are the festive songs about writers?

I searched high and low, but couldn’t find a single Christmas ditty about writing, which was a bit disappointing. So in the best tradition of the season, I have reworked a very old song, and made it new.

And because it’s Christmas, it’s about writing clichés – because this is the one time of year when they’re allowed, even welcome!

Christmas is almost here, and then…the new year! Can you believe it? What happened to 2017 anyway? If you’re an indie author, you’re probably already thinking ahead to your publishing and marketing goals for the next year. Belinda Griffin of Smart Authors Lab has put together a list of the best resources to help you achieve those goals.

Looking for book marketing ideas?

When planning this post I really wanted to put together an epic list of book marketing and promotion ideas for indie authors and their self-published books, but there are already so many excellent tips out there.

I thought, what would be more useful for you, another list of book marketing tips that repeat what others have already said, or an ultimate guide that directs you to some of the most helpful content the internet already has to offer?

I decided to go with the second option, and I’m sure you’ll agree there are some truly valuable book marketing ideas out there when you know where to look. I’ve done the searching so you don’t have to and these are all fantastic book promotion tips from experts who really know their stuff.

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is almost here! Today I’m sharing a post from author Jean M. Cogdell on whether or not it is possible to complete a novel in one month.

I’m not a particularly fast writer, and I have a very demanding schedule, so the thought of writing 50,000 words in just one month is very daunting to me. So far I’ve only been successful with Camp NaNoWriMo where you can set smaller goals, and even adjust them as you go along. Yet I know people do this every year, and I’m going to give it a try–with some helpful tips from Bridget at Now Novel! If you’re planning to join me in November, be sure to check these out.

If I succeed next month, I will have the next book in my Wind Rider Chronicles series nearly complete. I know my readers are eagerly waiting! But even if I don’t succeed, I’ll have more words written than I would have if I’d never participated, right? So really, I can’t lose.

Is it possible to complete a novel in one month?

If you’ve managed this amazing feat, I’m impressed.

But not me, I break out in a sweat just thinking about writing a novel from beginning to end in thirty days.

The Tackle Your TBR Read-a-thon is well underway! If you missed the start, that’s OK. You can still join through the 20th of September.

Today I’m adding my own giveaway to the event and also making an announcement! The new Clean Reads Repository I’ve been putting together over the last couple of weeks is now LIVE!

It is called PureFiction–check it out! Suggest a clean book to add to the repository to enter my rafflecopter giveaway. You’ll have the chance to win a bundle book with the entire Wind Rider Chronicles, including novella Into the Shadow Wood, and all of the related short stories.

September 11th to 24th sees the fifth TackleTBR Readathon, thanks to Tressa at Wishful Endings.

The goal you set is entirely up to you – maybe you don’t even want to set a goal.

Apart from reading books to shorten your list, though, the read-a-thon includes challenges from participants (with prizes to enter for), activities to join in, and general fun and mayhem.

Read all about it at Wishful Endings and sign up at any time through to 20th September.

I’ll be setting you a challenge on 19th September, for which I’ll be giving a prize.